English Department

In an English Department where reading is fundamentally ingrained into the curriculum our strategies may be more subtle and less obviously contrived.

Our most obvious strategies for reading are found in the production of The Stang and in The Literary Journal.

1. Model: The teacher sets the bar for reading. Expressive enthusiastic reading where punctuation becomes rests, stops, and pauses; where diction is clear and emphatic; where tempo is natural and persuasive.
2. Practice: Students will find their own voice and confidence in reading when they actively participate in the reading of classroom and assigned reading selections.
3. Read For Pleasure and Meaning: Students read what they want to and when they have to, so we must make both conditions apparent and possible.
   Sources: Printed material is ubiquitous. Teachers have to select materials that follow the set conditions found in the previous strategy.
4. Home Made: Students will read what they have written themselves. Sharing student reading in peer editing, oral presentation, posting, and all forms of formal and informal recognition are effective and lasting.

Community Living Department

Strategies:

1. Teach essential, functional and survival vocabulary words and phrases through drill and practice, repeating words, having students explain the meaning and use in proper context.
2. Ask questions to check for comprehension. Reread if necessary.
3. Allow extra time for processing.
4. Make use of daily activities that occur naturally in the school and community to reinforce vocabulary. (ie., street signs, labels, grocery lists, meaningful and useful words).
5. Phonics: have student sound out word, have student break word down into smaller words.
6. Computer programs: writing with Symbols, Kurzweil, Clicker 4.
7. Games: word searches, hangman, fill in the missing letter, spelling games/bees.
8. Have students follow along while someone reads out loud.

Arts Department

1. SQ3R, occasionally survey, question, read, review and recite with textbook use.
2. We read and discuss art terms and their use aloud in class, in order to strengthen students’ skills.
3. We read informational text, (eg. Diagrams, charts like architectural history, photography, etc.).
4. On a personal level students are expected to read and research materials, other than the text, (as preparation for art and media works).
5. We allow students to borrow books from the personal library, in order to improve their work.

Drama

1. Script reading and writing in several facets: individual, group, memorization, reciting. It is understood that especially in an acting situation that stage directions (acting directions) enhance a students ability to understand the written word when reading acting passages.

Music

1. Students are taught to understand a new symbolic language made up of symbols representing sound and silence as well as pitch and duration.
2. Cover notes on composers of the performed music are read to the students.
3. Students are asked to search for information in the internet for information on composers.
4. Audio Visual CD Roms are used to demonstrate audio examples of written definitions and concepts.
5. Students are shown how to use the research notes in the music programs they use during computer units.

Science Department

1. Students read passages from textbook out loud.
2. In small group work, each student reads information about a certain topic to become “an expert” and shares that information with the rest of the group.
3. Students construct posters about a topic by reading an article or passage and summarizing the main ideas in a poster form.
4. Read a section in book as a resource to answer a set of questions.
5. Make a collection of periodical or newspaper articles on a science related topic and answer a set of analysis questions on each article.
6. Read a science related book and make an oral book report.
7. Assign readings from the text to review or expand on the ideas presented in class.

Math Department

1. Have posters made up for each math room regarding the wording used for EQAO, i.e. definitions of EQAO words.
2. When doing application type questions (word problems) highlight or underline important information.
3. Standard mathematical language and/or terminology (phrases) are used in junior classes explained on posters and placed in rooms.
4. Practicing listing important information and/or instructions in a question and discarding (putting a line through) irrelevant information.

Social Science Department

1. In all grades, but especially the junior grades, teachers model reading by reading aloud the textbook as well a material from other sources such as newspapers. Vocabulary and comprehension are emphasized. The difference between fact and opinion is stressed. Students often take turns reading aloud from the text as well.
2. In the geography classes, reading for information is also practiced using graphs, maps, diagrams, political cartoons, charts, etc.
3. In the history program students often make use of “original documents” related to the course content. There is an entire series of books that provide original source material for the grade ten history program.
4. On occasion, tests may include a sight passage requiring students to read and provide information related to course content. The final examination in geography always includes a sight passage related to material covered in class.
5. In the grade 12 law class, law related stories from sources such as the Readers Digest are read. Mrs. Mitchell-Robinet has started a “Legal Reading Library” which consists of legal fictional and non-fictional books that she had read. Students are encouraged to borrow these books. In addition, 20% of their class mark comes from reading the newspaper, analysing the legal issues and discussing them in class.
6. In the grade 11 law classes, each student, on his given day, must bring to class the opinion from the editorial page of The Windsor Star. The student must read aloud the editorial for that day and create a question that will spark a short debate in the class.

Technology Department

1. Implement scan pre-reading strategies for chapter work assignments in class.
2. Prepare an anticipation guide related to major topics and themes as needed for project driven units.
3. Create word walls for each chapter.
4. Making Judgments Agree – Disagree Chart.
5. Webquests.
6. Reading a book electronically.
7. Create a design brief.

Modern Language Department

The Modern Languages Department implements literacy techniques each day to promote language acquisition. There are quite a number of strategies and activities which help learning a second language. However, I will take the opportunity to mention five strategies in particular:

1. Whole-Class Discussion and Etiquette – in this strategy, students and teachers work together to create a list of rules for discussion etiquette to ensure shared ownership of the classroom environment. For example, teachers may wish to create wall charts with “Les Expression Utiles” to promote the learning of useful expressions. The purpose is to lay the groundwork for respectful and purposeful whole-class discussions.
2. Useful Expressions – in this strategy, teachers create visuals such as flash cards or wall charts containing useful vocabulary words to help students acquire a second language.
3. Four Corners – in this strategy, students individually consider an issue and move to an area of the room where they can join others who share their ideas. This strategy requires a teacher to have clear instructions in order to control classroom management. This helps develop critical thinking and debates.
4. Small Group Discussions – in this strategy, students are divided into groups of a certain size, i.e. groups of five…each student is assigned a specific role and responsibility to carry out during the discussion. An example of this strategy could take the form of a Jigsaw game.
5. Jigsaw—is a complex form of cooperative learning technique that provides students with an opportunity to actively help each other in their learning. Each student is assigned to a “home group” and an “expert group” consisting of members from different home groups. Students meet in their expert group to discuss specific ideas or solve problems. They then return to their home group, where all members share their expert knowledge. Students will gain self-confidence through their contributions to the group effort